1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to packing bay system for a goods checkout system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Such packing bay system comprises several packing bays for taking up goods and a conveying device which includes at least one conveyor belt section for conveying goods in a conveying direction towards the packing bays. On the conveying device an adjustable goods switch is arranged, which includes a diverting wall longitudinally extending along a direction of longitudinal extension. In a first position, the diverting wall of the goods switch extends at an angle to the conveying direction across the at least one conveyor section, in order to guide goods which on conveyance in the conveying direction get in contact with the diverting wall in a diverting direction directed parallel to the direction of longitudinal extension from the at least one conveyor section towards a first packing bay. From the first position the goods switch then can be adjusted into a second position, in order to convey goods towards at least one other, second packing bay.
Such packing bay system can be used for example in a supermarket environment or in some other department store, for example in a furniture store or in other retail stores. Such packing bay system can be used at a conventional checkout unit, in which a cashier scans in goods by means of a suitable scanner and then puts said goods on a conveying device for conveyance into packing bays. Such packing bay system can, however, also be used in goods checkout systems which provide for a goods checkout carried out automatically by a customer and are able to detect goods automatically—without interaction by a cashier.
In such packing bay system goods are guided towards a packing bay via a conveyor belt section, wherein the goods switch extends across the conveyor belt section, in order to divert goods from the conveyor belt section towards an associated packing bay. When goods in the form of cylindrical bottles, cans or the like, which can roll on the conveyor belt section, are conveyed on the conveyor belt section, it can occur that the goods strike against the goods switch and due to the conveying movement of the conveyor belt section are put into a rolling movement at the goods switch. Due to resting against the goods switch and the resulting frictional contact between the rolling goods, it can be effected that the goods move along the goods switch against the diverting direction and thus are not diverted—as actually desired—from the conveyor belt section in diverting direction, but remain on the conveyor belt section. When the goods switch now is adjusted, it can occur that goods remain on the conveyor belt section, which actually should have been diverted into a packing bay. This can lead to the fact that a customer pays for goods, but does not get the same, because they do not get into a packing bay associated to this customer.
It is an object of the present invention to ensure reliable diverting of goods via a goods switch.